Killer Stories with Harvey Guillén - The Chicago Rippers Pt. 2

Episode Date: April 7, 2022

For over a year, Robin Gecht had been leading his own satanic cult composed of three of his own workers. But as they committed more murders, they got sloppy. When a victim left for dead survived her attack, it opened a window for police. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of sexual abuse, sexual assault, violence, gore, cannibalism, and murder. We advise extreme caution for children under 13. On the night of October 6, 1982, 20-year-old Beverly Washington walked the streets of Chicago. It was more dangerous than usual to be out by herself, but Beverly was a sex worker and she needed the money. And it seemed it was her lucky night. She hadn't been out there long when a red van pulled up beside her, and a slender white man with a mustache leaned over to talk to her.

As he asked what she charged, the man's eyes darted around them, as if he was scoping out their surroundings. The man was jittery, which Beverly was used to. Clients were always equal parts excited and nervous, but she already knew the cops weren't around. They were safe, in a way. so she got to business and named her price. To her surprise, the man offered her even more money.

Delighted, Beverly pocketed the cash and hopped in the front seat. The man drove to a more secluded spot, then suggested they get in the back of the van to fool around. But suddenly, Beverly was unsure about her, John. His excitement was too eager, too hungry. She told him they could stay in the front. Suddenly, Beverly was staring down the barrel of a shotgun, The man held it steadily at her head and ordered her to climb into the back of the van.

Terrified, she did as she was told. In the back, the man made Beverly's trip as he pointed the gun at her. Then he handcuffed and sexually assaulted her. Beverly sobbed, but she hoped the worst of it was over. It wasn't. The man reached for something in his pocket and pulled out a handful of pills. He forced the capsules into her mouth and crying, Beverly swallowed them. The last thing she saw was the man standing over her with a wire pulled taut in his hands.

That's when everything went black. Hi, I'm Greg Paulson. This is Serial Killers, a Spotify original from Parcast. Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers. Today we're finishing the story of the Chicago Rippers, a killer cult led by a bloodthirsty Satanist. I'm here with my co-host, Vanessa Richardson. Hi everyone, you can find episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. Last time, we examined the life and lies of Robin Gekt, the Ripper Cruise leader.

We saw how we convinced three men to help him rape, torture, and murder innocent women as part of their satanic rituals. Today, we'll follow the Ripper Crew's downfall as the bodies pile up and Chicago's fears reach a fever pitch. We've got all that and more coming up. Stay with us. This episode is brought to you by ZipRecruiter. Whether you're hiring for a role or searching for a killer, the hunt can be exhausting. When detectives looked and searched to find any kind of evidence to find the person they were looking for, like Jack the Ripper, the Golden State Killer, the Unit Bomber. It's tedious work to find what you're looking for.

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At Sephora, spritz on lush notes of rainforest orchid and crisp seabrees with he fresco paraizzo. Embrace a floral and fruity scent inspired by Rio's nude beach with chiqui bikini or caps for sun-kissed bliss with limonada gelada, where zesty Brazilian lemonade accord meets coconut milk and golden brown sugar. Don't miss Sol de Janeiro's limited edition. perfume mist collection only at Sephora. By the summer of 1982, 28-year-old Robin Geked had the all-American dream in the palm of his hand, a home, wife and kids,

plus a respectable blue-collar career in construction. Anyone who met Robin in his everyday life thought he was charming and charismatic. They couldn't imagine the twisted nightmares that he orchestrated in his free time. For over a year, Robin had been leading his own satanic cult, composed of 21-year-olds Ed Spritzer and Thomas Cochorales, and Thomas's 18-year-old brother, Andrew. Together, the four men abducted, raped, mutilated, and killed women at Robin's whim.

The exact number of their victims isn't entirely clear, but by June of 1982, it seems they'd taken up to seven lives. But not all of the Ripper Crews' victims ended up dead. On June 13th, Robin and one of his henchmen attacked 23-year-old sex worker, Angel York. After sexually assaulting her and cutting into her breast, Robin plugged Angel's wounds with duct tape and left her to die in an alley. Against the odds, Angel survived. Passers-by discovered her and rushed her to the hospital, where she told the police what happened. She was so traumatized that she couldn't remember specifics about her attackers. Still, the police recognized her unique wounds. Angel's battered body had similar injuries to the body of 21-year-old.

year old sex worker Linda Sutton, who'd been found a year earlier. In May of 1981, Robin and his crew abducted Linda, raped her, cut off her breasts, and left her dead body in a field in a Chicago suburb. At first, maybe police had considered the gruesome murder to be a crime of passion, but Angel's story changed their approach. The similarity of the crimes was too striking to ignore. Detectives realized that whoever murdered Linda had probably attacked Angel too, and maybe others. After all, several mutilated bodies had turned up in Chicago over the last year. Suddenly, everything fell into place, and the pattern suggested a terrifying truth. There was a serial killer in the city.

But he wasn't working alone. Angel reported that at least two men abducted her. Even one person committing crimes at this level of violence would have been unsettling. But the possibility that there was a group of people working together at a to kill women was almost too disturbing to believe. Robin, however, wasn't worried about whether or not the Chicago police were on his tail. In fact, detection didn't seem to concern him in the slightest. Vanessa is going to take over on the psychology here and throughout the episode. Please note, Vanessa is not a licensed psychologist or a psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for this show.

Thanks, Greg. As we discussed last time, even though Robin was never officially diagnosed with a personality disorder, he may have displayed psychics. psychopathic tendencies throughout his life. According to criminal psychologist Robert D. Hare, psychopaths seem overconfident in their ability to lie. They appear unfazed by their deception, and on the off chance they do get caught. They figure they can simply lie their way to safety again. By this stage, Robin had successfully deceived everyone in his life. He convinced his wife, kids, and neighbors that he was an average guy. He'd also talked three men into his murder satanic cult. Robin probably figured that if the cops ever did catch up to him, he would be

able to talk his way out of trouble. So even though he left a witness alive, he likely never considered it would lead to capture. And if he knew Angel had told the cops about him, it didn't seem to affect his drive to kill. On August 28, 1982, two months after Angel York's survival, Robin ushered his crew into his red van to go hunting for their next kill. Together, the men cruised around the Chicago area, looking for a prime target. When Robin saw 18-year-old sex worker Sandra Delaware, the van lurched to a stop. By now, the group do exactly what to do. They snatched Sandra off the street and dragged her into the back of their van.

To keep her from struggling, Sandra's hands and wrists were bound with shoelace. The men took turns raping and beating her. While the torture continued, Robin Tiber. side Sandra's bra around her neck, squeezing it tight. With a teenager pinned to the ground, Robin carried out his awful ritual. He pulled out a piano wire and sliced off her left breast. The details of what happened next are upsetting in the extreme, so we won't cover them here. When they were done with their horrific games, Robin and his crew dumped Sandra under a bridge

on the north branch of the Chicago River. She was likely dead at that point, but it probably wouldn't have been. mattered to Robin either way. He had what he wanted, his victim's flesh. Back home in Robin's attic, the men gathered around the amputated breast. Robin read passages aloud, satanic passages. During these rituals, perhaps Ed, Andrew, and Tommy really felt like they were taking part in an ancient ceremony. By the 1980s, Satanism was more of an exciting aesthetic than a true religion for most people. Robin had seemingly convinced the rest of the Ripper crew that the murders and ensuing activities were part of satanic rituals, but the truth was likely more self-serving.

In his book Encyclopedia of Murder and Violent Crime, criminologist Eric W. Hickey explains that killers keep body parts or trophies as a sign of control and as a way to reenact their fantasies through sexual gratification. Robin had always found intense sexual pleasure in cutting women's breasts. Now, his satanic cult gave him the excuse to touch, consume, and pleasure himself with them. He couldn't get enough. Within two weeks of Santa's murder, Robin gathered his crew for another outing.

After a few hours of driving around, they spotted Rosebeck Davis, a 30-year-old marketing executive. Even though Robin usually targeted vulnerable sex workers, it seemed he generally liked taking whatever woman caught his attention. it possibly gave him a rush to know that nobody was out of his reach. The Rippers grabbed Rose off the street and threw her in their van, where they brutalized her the same way they had all their other victims, except he chose not to cut off and keep her breast. Afterwards, Robin ordered his crew to leave her body behind an apartment building

on North Lakeshore Drive. Once again, it's unclear whether or not she was dead by the time they sped away in their van. It was a public location for a body dump, and Rose's body was discovered on September 8th. Then a few weeks later, the body of 30-year-old Shui Mack was found in an empty construction site in South Barrington. The news of Rose and Shui's bodies set off a wave of panic. It was finally clear to the police that they were chasing either a serial killer

or a team of them. Media outlets dubbed the group The Ripper Crew after Jack the Ripper. Just like the 1888 London Slasher, the Chicago Rippers were as brutal as they were prolific. It was a haunting comparison, and locals read about them in horror. At first, Robin probably didn't mind all the attention. The 28-year-old likely enjoyed knowing that his actions could inspire such widespread fear. But the rest of his crew didn't feel the same way.

Ed, Andrew, and Tommy were burnt out. They didn't seem to have the same insatiable desire to kill as their leader, which is likely why they didn't all attend every killing. Not to mention the three younger men were nervous about getting caught. Even as police found more bodies and the media wrote about their crimes, Robin didn't seem to care about being discreet. Even though they were in awe of their leader, Ed, Andrew and Tommy started to drag their feet and were hesitant to join in on more attacks.

But Robin's biggest problem wasn't losing control of his henchmen or cops tracking him down. In fact, it had nothing to do with his secret life as a killer. The most pressing issue for him was rent. It's unclear why, but Robin's contract work started to slow around this time. With no customers, the Gecht family fell behind in their bills. To avoid being evicted, Robin's wife, Rosemary, may have taken more shifts at her waitressing job, and perhaps this left him feeling emasculated.

Everywhere he looked, Robin was seemingly losing control. His crimes weren't staying quiet. His followers were dragging their feet, and he couldn't provide for his family. Anger probably boiled up inside of him, threatening to spill over at any minute. And he only knew one way to find relief. He needed to go hunting.

Coming up, Robin Gecht snaps, and Chicago pays the price. Hi, I'm Christine Schiefer. And I'm M. Schultz. We're the hosts of Rituals, the new Spotify original from Parcast. If you've heard our podcast and that's why we drink, you know we are no strangers to true crime and the paranormal. We're also into the occult to chat about, not to join, but, you know, to learn and educate.

Every Monday on rituals, we're journeying through mystifying stories of sorcery, alchemy, Satanism, and more, and trying to determine if the dark arts of the past impact us today. Like weather witches, who were they? Or the fountain of youth? Address, please. Don't forget about werewolf trials, M. objection, Christine. Let's not give too much away. And instead, let's tell everyone to follow our new podcast rituals free and only on Spotify. Want to support your gut health? Take Activia's gut health challenge by enjoying two Activio yogurt today for two weeks and see if you feel a difference. With billions of probiotics and 20 years of scientific expertise, Activia is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to start your gut health ritual.

Try Activia today. Enjoying Activia twice a day for two weeks as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle may help reduce. the frequency of minor digestive discomfort, which includes gas, bloating, rumbling, and abdominal discomfort. Now back to the story. It was early October 1982, and 28-year-old Robin Gekd hadn't killed anyone in a month, and he probably felt frustrated for a number of reasons. Robin felt like he was losing control over his small band of followers. With all of the media attention the Ripper Crew was getting, Ed, Andrew, and Tommy were hesitant to go hunting. Not to mention work had dried up, and Robin's family was struggling to pay rent.

Each day that passed without a murder, it's possible Robin grew more frustrated. When a human experiences stress, our bodies release cortisol. This hormone keeps us on high alert, ready for the instinctual fight-or-flight response. Usually after the pressure or danger has passed, cortisol levels decrease and the person's system goes back to normal. However, if someone is under constant stress, it can lead to other health problems like headaches, trouble sleeping, anxiety, and depression. According to the 1998 book, Sexual Homicide, Patterns and Motives, Stress is often a trigger that leads serial murderers to kill. So when cortisol levels are high and they need a release, violence may become one of the ways some killers let out anxiety. And after a month of bottling up his frustration, it seems to be.

and Robin was ready to burst. That night finally came on October 6th, about a month after the discovery of Rosebeck Davis. Robin rallied his somewhat reluctant crew, likely using his manipulative charm to motivate them. They piled into the red van and set out to hunt. Robin was high on anticipation. He could practically taste the blood. However, after a couple of hours driving around Chicago, the Ripper crew hadn't found their usual target to abduct. Many women likely had stopped going out alone for a fear of becoming the

Ripper's next victim. This probably only agitated Robin even more. He needed a release, any release, so the 28-year-old grabbed his shotgun. Normally, Robin never used guns on his victims. He preferred to savor and prolong their pain as he beat and stabbed them to death. A gun was too quick, but Robin was done being picky. Within a matter of minutes, Robin's eyes landed on 28-year-old Rafael Tirado, who was standing in a phone booth with his friend. The car slowed as Robin propped himself up on the window and aimed. Then he squeezed the trigger. The bullet hit the phone booth. Raphael and his companion tried to take cover, but there was nowhere to run or hide. Robin fired several more times, killing Raphael and injuring his friend.

Robin felt the familiar rush of power wash over him, giving him the smallest bit of release. There was no sexual or ritualistic aspect to the murder, but the control he experienced was enough for now. His three followers, on the other hand, didn't know what to make of the drive-by shooting. This was so different from their usual ritualistic torture of women. Ironically, this is what made them feel uneasy. But not enough to turn on Robin. Despite any doubt, his hold on them was firm. It's also possible they were scared of their leader.

After all, they knew how easily he could torture and kill people. Maybe they thought if they left, they'd be next. So the crew returned home, tight-lipped as ever. But it seems not everyone was done killing just yet. That night, Robin decided to finish the hunt, and it seems he did so alone. After driving around, Robin saw 20-year-old sex worker Beverly Washington and knew he'd found his next victim. He pulled over and started negotiating with her.

He was so eager to get her into the van that he offered to pay even more than she suggested. Robin seemed anxious and over-excited to Beverly. But that wasn't all that unusual for a John. So she pocketed the money and got into the front seat. Then Robin drove them to a secluded spot. Once parked, Robin told Beverly they should get in the back of the van. At first she said no, but then he pulled out a shotgun and threatened to shoot her

unless she did as she was told. Terrified, Beverly climbed into the back, Robin following behind, pointing the gun at her. He ordered her to strip and then placed handcuffs on her. Once she was naked and trapped, he sexually assaulted her. Without the help of all his henchmen, Robin thought it best to sedate Beverly, so that she would stay still while he completed his ritual. So he forced pills into her mouth and ordered her to swallow them. Once she had passed out, Robin sliced into her breast, severing it completely.

When he was done with her, Robin dumped Beverly's unconscious form by some railroad tracks. He likely assumed she was already dead or that she would be soon. After that, he drove home with his grim trophy. A 1980 article published by the FBI would classify Robin's breast mutilation and sexual attacks as lust murders. As the paper explains, some killers who attack for lust are especially sadistic. This is because sexual gratification is an important goal for them, possibly even more important than avoiding detection. Certain lust killers often act on impulse and leave sloppy crime scenes behind. We saw this when Robin leaned out the van.

with a shotgun and when he dumped Beverly without checking if she was alive. Not only did he not consider that he was leaving a trail, he didn't seem to care, but he was about to pay the price for his mess. On October 7th, likely a few hours after Robin left the scene, someone spotted Beverly's body by the tracks. She was covered in so much blood they thought she was dead. But miraculously, Beverly stirred. She was still alive. The 20-year-old was a little alive. The 20-year-old was rushed to the hospital where staff raced to treat her. Her injuries were horrific, but doctors managed to stabilize her. When the Chicago police heard about Beverly's wounds, they realized it was likely another attack from the Ripper crew. They hurried to the hospital to see what

information she could tell them about her attackers. Beverly was too injured to speak, but she was determined to share her story with the cops. Using a notepad to write, and blinking yes or no answers, she painstakingly recounted what she remembered. To their surprise, it was more than they'd uncovered in months of investigation. Beverly wrote that her attacker was a slender white man who looked to be around 25 years old. He had greasy brown hair and a mustache, and wore a flannel shirt and square-toed boots. The 20-year-old also told authorities that the man picked her up in a red van that had a wooden partition separating the front and back seat. She also saw a string of feathers hanging from what she thought was the rearview mirror.

With this information, police put together a composite sketch of the man who attacked Beverly. A call went out to all officers in the Chicago area to look for a red van with feathers in the windshield. But Beverly's description wasn't the only break that cops got that week. A few days later, they added another woman to the Ripper Crew body count. On October 10th, 15-year-old Steve Grist was walking home. To save time, he took a short cut through Clarendon Hill Cemetery. But while trekking through the graveyard, the teen saw something that made him stop and stare.

A swarm of birds were pecking at a mysterious bundle near some bushes. Steve stepped closer to get a better look, and immediately a hideous stench washed over him. Suddenly, he knew what the object was. It was a human body. Steve ran home and told his family what he'd found, and they immediately called the police. The officials arrived,

extensive decomposition made identifying the body difficult. It seemed it had been there for a while. After examining dental records, police discovered that the body belonged to 21-year-old real estate agent Lorraine Borowski. The Rippers had abducted and murdered Lorraine five months earlier while she was walking to work in the quiet suburb of Elmhurst. The only evidence that was left behind were her purse and shoes, which had fallen to the pavement during the frenzied abduction. Until her body turned up, Lorraine's disappearance had remained a missing person's case, but now the people of Chicago wondered what other unsolved crimes the Rippers were responsible for. Robin smugly read these panicked and horror-struck headlines.

He'd capture the fear of an entire city, and that was only the beginning. He was just getting started. Or so he thought. Coming up, Robin continues his rampage, even as the next, closes around him. This episode is brought to you by Prime. Obsession is in session. And this summer, Prime Originals have everything you want.

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soft lightly lined cubs for a natural shape, and no wire comfort that last all day. All over smooth, all-day comfort, vanity fair lingerie. Find yours at Target today. Now back to the story. By the end of October of 1982, Chicago police were closing in on the river crew. Between Beverly Washington's description of her attacker and the growing list of bodies, officials felt it was only a matter of time before they had a suspect in custody.

And they were right. On October 20th, a police car spotted a reddish-orange Dodge van driving around the city. Not only did the unique color match Beverly's description of her attacker's vehicle, but a string of feathers hung in place of. of a rear-view mirror. Bingo, they flashed their lights and pulled the driver over. However, the man at the wheel didn't resemble the description Beverly had given to detectives. That's because the driver was 21-year-old Ed Spritzer, not Robin Geked. The police questioned Ed, who stammered nervously through the exchange. He told the cops that the vehicle wasn't

actually his. It belonged to his boss. The officers asked Ed if he could take them to his boss, backing him into a corner, Panicked, he led them to Robin's home in Villa Park. When Robin stepped outside, the officers immediately recognized his face. The mustache, the smug confidence. He matched the composite sketch exactly. They were sure he was the man who attacked Beverly Washington, and likely many others. As they stood on the lawn, peppering Robin with questions, he responded as though he had

nothing to hide. The 28-year-old acted calm, casual, and even dismissive. He didn't seem much like a killer. He seemed like a carpenter who was annoyed to be distracted from his work. Still, the police knew they had their man, so they asked Robin to accompany them to the station. It's unclear exactly what happened next, but some kind of lineup, whether it was with photos or with Robin physically there, was presented to Beverly, who was still in the hospital. As soon as she saw Robin's face, she pointed him out and burst into tears.

There was no mistaking her attacker. She'd remember his face until the day she died. With Beverly's ID, the Chicago police arrested Robin, who in the meantime got a lawyer. They pressed him for more information about Beverly, as well as the other ripper attacks. But he practically laughed them off. Five days later, investigators' jobs became even more difficult when Robin posted a $50,000 bond and walked out of the police station. It's unclear where he got the money, given his recent financial difficulties.

Not that it mattered. He was back home. With our main suspect back on the streets, police had to rethink their strategy. It was clear to them that Robin had attacked Beverly Washington, and they were almost certain he was the killer. Simply put, he was dangerous, and they needed to get him off the street soon. So the police decided to talk to the man who led them to Robin, Ed Spritzer. He had seemed nervous when they pulled him over, and they hoped he had more information on his boss. They called him in for an interview. However, when Ed walked into the police station,

he acted even more strangely than when they'd pulled him over. He was visibly sweating and seemed thrown by the most basic questions. It was clear he was hiding something. After a while of being battered with questions, Ed cracked, and the story he had to tell was even more shocking than the police expected. Ed admitted that Robin was more than just his boss. He said that together the two of them had abducted, mutilated and murdered multiple women.

Some of the women included ones they already knew about, like Linda Sutton and Sandra Delaware, but for most, Ed could only describe their appearance. Still, it was enough for investigators. Crucially, it confirmed their suspicions around Robin and meant they could take him back into custody. In all, Ed's confession implicated Gecked in seven murders at one charge of aggravated battery,

although it seemed he didn't need Ed's help in getting re-arrested. About a week after Robin walked out of the police station, he went hunting. It's possible he sensed that his time of killing was coming to an end and wanted to make the most of his freedom while he still had it. But it's more likely that his arrogance made him feel invincible. Either in the infamous van or a new ride, he picked up a 25-year-old woman who will call Scarlett near Wrigley Field. According to the woman's police report,

Robin offered Scarlett $150 to tell him the goriest stories she could think of. When she hesitated, Robin revealed a homemade weapon, a large piece of broken glass embedded in a wooden handle. He started slashing at her with a makeshift axe, trying to reach her face. Scarlett blocked most of the attacks with her arm and scrambled to get out of the car, but her door was locked. She fought her way past Robin and lunged for the door handle on the driver's side. She managed to get the door open and flung herself across her attacker's body, tumbling out of the door and onto the side of the road. As Scarlett reached safety, Robin sped off.

Terrified, she went to the police and reported the incident. As she described her attacker, the police realized exactly who she was talking about. Between this attack and Ed's confession, the Chicago police had more than enough to arrest Robin again. On November 5, 1982, they tracked him down at a relative's house, house and took him into custody. Like before, Robin didn't seem worried by the arrest, and perhaps he didn't need to be, because as soon as he arrived at the police station, things changed again.

Ed Spritzer was at the station that same day, presumably for more questioning. It's not clear how, but the 21-year-old somehow learned that Robin was nearby, and he immediately recanted most of his 78 pages of testimony. Panicked, he went back through all the murders, scrambling the stories so the details no longer made any sense. He contradicted himself repeatedly as the interrogators tried to figure out what was happening.

There was only one thing Ed was clear about in this new version of events. Robin Gecht was not involved in any of the murders whatsoever. It seemed Ed had decided he couldn't give up his leader after all. We don't know for sure why Ed changed his story so abruptly, but given what we know about Robin,

his methods and cults in general, we can hazard a guess. A 1980 study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry examined a cult whose leader was cruel. Six out of 14 followers remained loyal to the abusive dictator for almost four years until the group's dissolution. The study found that the loyal devotees convinced themselves that their leader was only acting for their benefit. Ed knew he was going to prison after his detailed confession. There was little he could do to change that now, but it's possible he felt compelled. to protect Robin, the person who had given him shelter, work, and purpose.

Instead, Ed shifted the blame onto someone else entirely. He said that he was following the orders of Andrew Cocherales. On November 7, 1982, police picked up 19-year-old Andrew Cochorales for questioning. Andrew, like Ed, was nervous, and it didn't take him long to confess to everything. However, Andrew had even more details for the police. Through a rambling and often incomprehensible confession, Andrew admitted to 18 murders, far more than investigators were expecting. He also pointed to Robin as the leader of their group.

Next, the police stopped by the Cocorellas household to speak with Andrew's family. That's when his brother Tommy implicated himself in everything. The 22-year-old couldn't make eye contact with the police, and he was shaking and sweating. His parents tried to explain that their eldest son was a little slow and probably didn't understand what was going on. But it was too late. It took only minutes for the police to suspect that they'd found another member of the Ripper crew.

On November 10th, Tommy agreed to take a polygraph test, which he failed. Afterwards, he admitted to being present for three murders. He remembered killing 21-year-old real estate agent Lorraine Varoski and recalled some of the details about abducting and abusing her. Baffled, the detectives pressed the 22-year-old for more information, trying to understand why the men would do this. They were surprised when Tommy told them their reason. They had killed in the name of the devil.

Tommy described how Robin introduced him and the rest of the crew to Satanism. He also admitted that Robin kept their victim's flesh for a sexual and cannibalistic acts, all performed in shady motel rooms or Robin's attic. He said that Robin kept a box of the mutilated body parts and guessed that he'd seen as many as 15 breasts in there. After Tommy's statement, the police spent the following days trying to corroborate his story. They spoke with motel managers and discovered that Robin had rented multiple rooms for parties and strange religious gatherings.

At some point, officials also decided to explore Robin's attic. Inside the so-called chapel, they found satanic literature and the trophy box Tommy described. But they didn't find any breasts, blood, or heart. proof of satanic murders. Without any hard evidence, all the prosecution had to go on were the three confessions, which normally wouldn't be so bad. But this case presented a unique problem for investigators. Hardly any of the stories matched up. Each of the men recalled different murders, and the details rarely aligned on date, location, or victim. For many of the accounts,

investigators didn't even have enough information or evidence to prove that anyone died. So, officials decided to work backwards. They started with the bodies they did have. Linda Sutton, Lorraine Borowski, Shui Mack, Santa Delaware, Rose Beck Davis, Rafael Tirado, and another, it seems they were unable to identify. The three men confessed to torturing and killing these women, and recalled enough details for the police to be certain. By the end of the process, officials could hold the Ripper Crew responsible for eight murders,

but that was it. And there was another snag, a big one. While Andrew and Tommy seemed to implicate Robin in the slayings, Robin himself maintained his innocence. And despite their certainty that he was involved, there was no physical evidence to prove Robin was present for any of the murders. Without that, the prosecution didn't think they could secure a conviction for the murders. Still, they could at least charge him with attempted murder and rape,

based on his attacks on Angel York and Beverly Washington. It wasn't much, but it was something. Over the next year, the group received various sentences. In the end, Tommy Cochoralis was found guilty of murder for killing Lorraine Borowski and was sentenced to 70 years in prison. Tommy's brother Andrew was convicted of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of murder. Ed Spritzer received even more charges, five counts of murder, aggravated kidnapping, deviate sexual assault and rape.

Both Ed and Andrew were sentenced to death. As for the mastermind of the Ripper crew, Robin Geked was was convicted of attempted murder, armed violence, rape, aggravated kidnapping and battery, and deviant sexual assault. Prosecutors, knowing how dangerous he truly was, pushed for the maximum sentence. And they got it. Robin was sentenced to 120 years in prison. For more than a decade, the Chicago Ripper sat behind bars, living out their new lives. In a 1989 appeal, Andrew tried to recant his confessions. and accused the police of coercion,

but the accusations were eventually dismissed, clearing the way for his execution. In March of 1999, the 35-year-old was put to death by lethal injection. He was the last person to be executed in Illinois. Not long after Andrew met his end, the state reversed its position on the death penalty. So in 2003, Ed Spritzer's sentence was commuted to life in prison.

Tommy Cocorales' story was did. different again. During his prison term, he became a reformed Christian and apologized to the Barowski family. Then in March of 2019, the 58-year-old was paroled, having served about half of his sentence. Tommy's release caused a stir in the Chicago area, but police maintained they were no longer worried about Tommy. Their true concern was still behind bars, and would be until at least 2042. To this day, Robin Gekt maintains his innocence. And given his history of manipulation and deceit, he will likely never admit to any of the vicious murders his cult carried out. That's a secret he's determined to keep between just him and the devil.

Thanks again for tuning into serial killers. We'll be back soon with a new episode. You can find all episodes of serial killers and all other Spotify originals from Parcast for free on Spotify. We'll see you next time. Have a killer week. Serial Killers is a Spotify original from Parcast. Executive producers include Max and Ron Cutler, sound design by Carrie Murphy, with production assistance by Ron Shapiro,

Trent Williamson, Carly Madden, and Joshua Kern. This episode of Serial Killers was written by Kit Fitzgerald, with writing assistants by Sarah Hussein and Joel Callan, fact-checking by Adriana Romero, and research by Brian Petrus and Chelsea Wood. Serial killers stars Greg Paulson and Vanessa Richardson. Werewolves, witches, and Arthur Conan Doyle? Oh my! Sounds like fascinating topics to discuss on our new show, rituals, Christine. You know what, M. It sure does. Every Monday on rituals,

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